Controlling Reactions: A Case Study

These activities, produced by The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), are based on a BASF chemical plant at Seal Sands, Middlesbrough. They enable students to see how and why chemical reactions are controlled in a chemical plant. The materials contain full teacher guidance, student notes and activity sheets.

Originally developed for GNVQ Advanced Science, there are a range of activities that can be used individually or to make up a planned programme of post-16 study.

The activities look at:
* Overview of Seal Sands reactions
* Pilot plant
* Process control
* Production of acrylonitrile (propenenitrile)
* Production of adiponitrile (1,4-dicyanobutane)
* Production of hexamethylenediamine (1,6-hexanediamine)
* Quality assurance
* Health, safety and environment

In the materials, a combination of 'systematic' and 'non-systematic' or traditional names are given. The chemicals which the students should be familiar with are referred to using their systematic names. The chemicals produced in the plant are referred to using their non-systematic, or traditional name, as is used on the plant.